The Benefits of Entering a Free Art Contest
Free art contests for kids offer children some great life lessons:
- Establishes a goal: Every contest has guidelines and a deadline, which gives a child a specific goal to work toward.
- Builds confidence: The process of creating the artwork itself builds self-confidence, as the child goes from an “I can’t draw” mindset to one of “I can enter this contest — and I might win!”
- Encourages strong effort: The art children enter should be their best work, teaching them that no matter what they do, they should do it well.
- Promotes cultural and social awareness: Many art contests focus on themes related to cultural diversity or social and environmental issues. Participating in these contests can help children develop a deeper understanding of these topics, as well as use art as a medium for change.
- Provides recognition: If they win, their artwork may be showcased in exhibitions, publications, or online. There’s also the fun of a prize and learning to be a gracious winner.
- Teaches how to persevere: If they don’t win, there’s the practice of dealing with disappointment and trying again.
- Teaches the importance of effort: Win or lose, when your child creates a piece of art and enters it in a contest, they have tried, which is the first step to success in any endeavor. Just the act of creating art and putting it out into the world is an accomplishment.
Enter Now!
Ready to enter? Keep scrolling for a list of current online art contests for kids and teens (listed in order of deadline). Almost all of them are free to enter. Once in a while, there will be a contest or two that have just a small fee.
To find out more about a certain contest, click on the name below. If you have a contest you’d like for me to list, please contact me.
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Art Contests
(In order by deadline)
Sony World Photography Awards Youth Competition (All Countries)
DEADLINE: January 6, 2026
Ages: 19 and under
2026 FAI International Aviation Art Contest (US Part/National Contest)
DEADLINE for US Residents: January 16, 2026
Ages: 5-17
California Coastal Art & Poetry Contest (California Only)
DEADLINE: January 29, 2026
Ages: Grades K-12
FIFA World Cup 26 Kid’s Drawing Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: January 30, 2026
Ages: 5 – 12
Global Student Art Competition (All Countries)
DEADLINE: January 31, 2026
Ages: Primary and Secondary Grades (Grades K-12 in the US)
NOTE: Entries must be mailed to Greece, so be sure to mail them in time.
U.S. Kids Magazine Cover Contest (US Only)
DEADLINE: February 1, 2026
Ages: 2-12
Engineer Girl – The Art of Engineering Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: February 1, 2026
Ages: Grades 3 – 12
Global Canvas Children’s Art Competition (All Countries)
DEADLINE: February 19, 2026
Ages: 4-16
State Fish Art Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: February 28, 2026
Ages: K-12
Science Without Borders Challenge (All Countries)
DEADLINE: March 2, 2026
Ages: 11-19
National Wind Energy Art Challenge (US Only)
DEADLINE: March 2, 2026
Ages: Grades K-8
DEADLINE: March 15, 2025
Ages: Grades 1-12
VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest (US Only)
DEADLINE: March 31, 2026
Ages: Grades 9-12
ArtEffect Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: April 21, 2026
Ages: Middle School and High School
Robert Shetterly Portrait Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: May 1, 2026
Ages: Grades K-12
2026 International Poster Competition (All Countries)
DEADLINE: June 1, 2026
Ages: All
£20 per poster entry Fee
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: June 9, 2026
Ages: 11-18
Creative Writing, Poetry, Art, Film, Speech, Dance, Multimedia
Art Contests for Kids with Deadlines that Vary
If you do not live in the country indicated, you can enter any that say “All Countries”. Contests marked “All Countries” are for young artists living anywhere in the world.
FAI Young Artists Contests (All Countries)
DEADLINE: Deadline Varies by Country. Contact your country representative. You can find the information here.
Ages: 6 – 17
Sultan of Arts (All Countries)
DEADLINE: Varies
Ages: 24 and Under
Art, Music, Pantomime, Ballet
Congressional Art Competition (US Only)
Deadline: Varies. Contact your representative.
Ages: High School
World Photograph Organisation Monthly Youth Contest (All Countries)
DEADLINE: End of Each Month
Ages: 12-19
How do I send my Piture because im going to drawing a dragon soon
thank you Natalia
Hi Natalia,
I received your submissions, but you’ve attached the wrong image (it’s an image of the earth’s structure – a school assignment?). I tried to email you but the email wouldn’t go through. Try again? Be sure you click on the correct image.
are these contests actually available until date
Yes, until the deadline that’s listed
What is the theme of the drawing
Which contest do you mean?
I recently heard on BBC Radio 4 about an at competition for children called, what sounded like?, The Borlay? Young Masters Art Competition which had different age group catagagories, but cannot find anything on line!! do you know anything about this? – Thank you.
There’s the Young Masters Art Prize, but it’s only offered every two years. https://www.young-masters.co.uk/
Hi Samantha,
I have a 14yr old daughter who has taught herself to sketch. She wants to start entering contests and try to get her art out there. So we would like to know which ones you would suggest for her to try?
Thank You
Carrie
I list all of the contests I find on the Contests page, so I would start there. I would say to try all of the ones she qualifies for and see how they go. My children entered contests when they were younger (they’re almost all adults now), so I don’t have direct experience with a lot of the contests. All of my kids did enter the State Fish Art Contest, though, and that one was always a lot fun.
Can you do the contest by drawing on a device or does it have to be on paper
You can draw on a device. 🙂
Make sure it’s still a black and white line drawing.
I think you were asking about the Drawing challenge, but if you were asking about another art contest, it probably has to be on paper. You would have to go to the contest page and see what the rules are.
hi i’m a 11 year old in the USA is there any competitions that are solely on nature photography that I can enter?
-Ana
Hi Ana, I’ll check! 🙂
Hi, Samantha. Do I need to go to America to participate in the contest? Or I need to send a photo of my drawing through email?
Which contest do you want to enter?
I am 16 years old and from Bangladesh. You tell me which contests I can enter by not going to USA.
You can enter any of the contests that say “All Countries”.
I’m 10 year old and a I love to draw. So I want to enter to win
I have created a. Art group me and my friends are making to send to hospitals so children can color I think there should be a contest for groups ware we make a group picture and send it to you and then the other groups do to I’m Ellee please think about this
This is a great idea! This will be our next challenge! 🙂
Hi,
International No Limits Art Contest is running until the end of April 2020. For children 3-15 http://Www.nolimitsfoubdation.org/artcontest
It’s on the list! 🙂
thank you